Car-coupling



.1. WEARY.

CAR COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED NPR. 25. 191

1 ,335,868. Patented Apr. 6, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

INVENTOR BY fi ATTO RIN EY J. WEARY.

. CAR COUPLING.

APPLICATION men APR.25, 1911.,

SHEE Patented w ,W m 0 Q 2 3W 5 M am 5 1, \V/MM J I m ATTOR N EY coupling the adjacent ends of two cars.

UNITE srnns AT N OFFICE.

JOHN WEARY, 0F MOUNT CARMEL, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO'W. W.

LITTLEHALES, 0F MOUNT GAR/MEL, PENNSYLVANIA.

. CAR-COUPLING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 6, 1920.

Application filed April 25, 1917. Serial No. 164,475.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN WEARY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Mount Carmel, in the county of Northumberland and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Car-Couplings, of which the following is a specification. I p

The present invention relates to coupling means for cars and is particularly adapted for use in connection with mining cars and the like. j n

The invention has for its main object, the provision of a simple effective device which will be found to overcome vario incon veniences and disadvantages experienced in the use of devices of this character.

According to the present invention it is contemplated to provide a coupling member at one end of the car and a link at the other end of the car to be engaged by the coupling member of an adjacent car,,since the cars upon which this invention is to be used very rarely change their position on the track,

and therefore, the links and coupling members of the adjacentcars are in position to engage each other for coupling the cars.

Withthe above objects in view, the inven tion resides in the construction, combination, and arrangement 'of parts which will be hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the appended claims.

In thedrawings which illustrate the invention:-

Figurel shows the invention applied and Fig. 2 is an under-view of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional viewof the coupling member proper.

Fig. 4 is an end view of the coupler shown in Fig. 3 looking in the direction of the arrow a, and

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially on line 55 of Fig.3.

Like characters denote similar and like parts throughout the specification and draw.-

1ngs.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the coupling member 1 is supported in position under one end of the car by the sling 2 provided by a bar extended transversely across the car. A coupling link 3 for engagement with a coupling member of an adjacent car is provided at the other end of the car and is similarly supported by a sling 2, the link being substantially of a loop formation.

I The coupling member 1 consists of two substantially elongated bars arranged in spaced relation so as to lie one above the other, the advantages of this construction being presently set forth. The upper bar a and the lower bar 7) have an intermediate portion of their opposing faces recessed into which extend the ends of the spacing block 5, and the rear end of the bars a and 7) also have their. opposing faces recessed to receive. the spacing block 6, which blocks retain the bars spaced from each other for the reception of the coupling link 3 and the draw bar 7 There are apertures in the bars a and Z) and the blocks 5 and 6 which register to permit the bolts 8 to extend therethrough to secure, by means of nuts 9, the bars and blocks into position. The bars a and b may be of any suitable material, however, and are preferably casted thus providing a durable coupling body which will withstand the intense strain to which the device issubjected. However, the opposing faces of the bars a and b may be recessed or dished as indicated atv 0 for a purpose of reducing the weight of the device, although, this is not essential or necessary.

Theother or forward ends of the bars a and b are beveled or rounded as indicated at 10 so a to provide the converging lips for directing the coupling link 3 into the space between the bars a and b. In order to lock the link into position, after it has been insertedbetween the bars a and b, a coupling pin 11 is loosely pivoted to, the under surface of the bar a adjacent its forward end, the

pin 11 being normally held by gravity in the position indicated in Fig. 3. When opposing faces of the bars a and b aredished as at c, the pin 11 is disposed between the moved suiiicientl y imvardly between the bars the pin will drop by gravity to normal vertical position as indicated.

To lock the coupling pin 11 in its normal position and prevent it from being swung about its pivot to a position indicated at 6 when strain is placed upon the coupling and the link, which would otherwise uncouple the car, a lock dog 12 is loosely pivoted between the flanges 13 provided by bifurcating the forward end of the lower bar 5. This lock dog lies, preferably, in advance of the coupling pin 11 and is normally held in an upright vertical position by a pendent or weighted portion 1% so as to obstruct the outward swinging of the coupling pin 11 which would permit the link to be moved out of coupling, engagement with the coupling member. The dog 12 does not, however, extend into the space between the bars a and Z).

The lock dog 12 is normally locked in its position by a sliding bolt 15 normally projected by the spring 16 into a cut-out portion 17 in the pendent 1a of the dog. The sliding bolt and spring are, preferably, housed in a longitudinal passage or bore 18 suitably provided in the lower bar I) of the coupling member and the bolt has a rod 19 projectingfrom one end thereof to which is con-- nected a chain 20. An abutment 21 is provided in the passage against which one end of the spring 16 is to bear, while the other end of the spring 16 bears against one end of the sliding bolt 15. By this arrangement it will be clear to see that the lock dog 12 is positively held in position to prevent an outward swinging of the coupling pin 11 and this normally insures a positive cou pling engagement between the coupling member 1 and the link 3. It will also be clear to see that by this arrangement, the coupling member is always ready to receive the coupling link irrespective of the fact that the locking dog is normally held in its locking position because the coupling pin 11 is free to swing about its pivot to a position (I at all times, but will gravitate to its normal position as soon as the link is sufficientlyinserted and will be retained in its normal position when the sliding bolt 15 is inengagement with the locking dog 12.

In the, event it is desired to uncouple the link- 3, the chain is pulled which moves the sliding bolt against the tension of the spring 16. Thus the locking dog 12 will be ineffective and free to move about its pivot when strain 'is' placed upon the coupling, and then the coupling pin 11 will swing outwardly as indicated at e to release the link from coupling engagement. As will be noticed particularly from Fig. 3

the drawings, the locking dog 12 has one facev suitably rounded as at 22 so that the dlstal end of the coupling pin 11 may ride upon the surface at the next insertion of the link into the coupling member, at which time the dog 12 will freely swing about its pivot to permit-the coupling pin to assume its normal position in a manner readily apparent, as the pivot of the locking dog 12 is below the distal end of the coupling pin 11. A suitable stop 23 is provided on the dog to engage with the flanges 13 for preventing it from being moved about its pivot to excess.

A draw bar 7 loosely extends through the coupling and is preferably disposed in the space between-the bars a and b and the spacing blocks 5 and 6. The draw bar is substantially U-shaped and has the arm portions 24: thereof slidably extended through bolsters or other suitable supports 25 provided at the under surface of the car. The free ends of the arms 24: are provided with abutments 26 against which bear the, rear ends of the compression springs 27, while the other ends of the spring bear against one ofthe bolster members 25. The -cou pling link 3 has its inner endsecured to a similar draw bar secured in substantially the same manner. Thus, when the adjacent ends of the cars are coupled'together and intense separating strain is suddenly placed upon the coupling, the shock occurred will be taken up by the springs 28 and the slidably mounted draw bars 7.

The link 3 is normally held in a horizontal plane which is co-planary with the space betweenthe bars a and b of thercoupling and, when coupling cars, an alinement of the two members 1 and 3"can be easily effected by swinging the coupling memher 1 horizontally on the sling 2 'by'means of chains 29. V

In order to easily efiect, the uncoupling of the link 3 and the'coupling member'l, a lever 30 is pivotally mounted underneath the car, preferably at one end as indicated at 31, and the chain 20 of the sliding bolt 15 is connected thereto. The other end of the lever 30 extends beyond the-side of the car and is adjusted in the rack 32 Wet erably secured to one side of the car. When it is desired to uncouple' the car's. thel end 33 of the lever is manuallv shifted on the rack so as to exert a pull on the chain to draw the sliding bolt 15 from-the re ccss 17 of the locking dog 12, which will permit the coupling pin 11 to swing freely without obstruction and permit the. withdrawal of the link 3 from the coupling member 1.

The above construction provides a durable coupling-device which niav be quickly and easily manipulated for effecting the coupling and uncoupling of adjacent cars. The simplicit of the coupling and the manner of mounting enhances its strength and etfectiveness.

The foregoing clearly describes the invention, although, it is to be understood that certain changes in the specific construction may be resorted to that fall Within the legitimate scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is 1. A car coupler, which comprises a head formed of spaced bars, a coupling pin pivotally mounted on and depending from one of the bars the other bar being slotted at the end, a dog pivotally mounted in said slotted end and unitarily provided with a counter weight and a bolt engaging projection,

said do havin its u er end ada ted to a e P P be normally positioned in the path of movement of the pin and slightly spaced therefrom, a spring pressed locking bolt movable longitudinally through a bore in said bar, and having one of its ends adapted to engage with the projection on the dog, said bolt serving to prevent movement of the dog in one direction, means carried by said dog to limit its movement in the opposite direction, and means for manually moving the locking bolt to release it from engagement With the dog. r

2. A coupler, which comprises a head formed of spaced members, each having one o of its ends slotted, a coupling pin pivotally mounted on and depending from one of the members, the pin being freely movable in the slots, the slot in the other member forming a fork, a dog pivotally mounted in said I ber of the dog, and means for manually operating the bolt.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN WEARY.

Witnesses JACOB H. FISHER, GEO. O. BICKEL. 

